Deckbuilding Challenge - Wizard's Pupil

[Cw0rk]

Faramir, Wizard's Pupil is quite an interesting card. Some decks using him have been built in the past, but I haven't seen one that uses him to his full potential (using all the abilities). I would like to issue a challenge to all the movie block deckbuilders...

Your challenge is to make a deck built around Faramir, Wizard's Pupil. Here are the rules:

- Faramir must be in your starting fellowship or you must have at least 3 copies of him in your draw deck (or 1 if you plan to use Saved from the Fire or Denethor to grab him).
- Your deck must include at least 1 unbound hobbit.
- Your deck must include Gandalf.
- Your deck must include at least 1 Rohan companion.

It's not a really strict competition so just post your deck here when it's made. If you want to comment on a deck, please specify the name of the builder in your reply.

[putridbreath]

Excellent! I just got this card in a trade and I've been scratching my head trying to come up with a viable deck strategy....I will be taking notes haha

[Cw0rk]

Here is mine...

Frodo And Ring 
*The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles (4R1) 
*Frodo, Hope of Free Peoples (7C317) 

Fellowship (33) 
1x *Gandalf's Staff (2R22) 
1x *Narya (3R34) 
2x *Aragorn, Driven by Need (7P364) 
1x *Eomer, Keeper of Oaths (8C87) 
1x *Eowyn, Lady of Rohan (4C270) 
3x *Faramir, Wizard's Pupil (7R91) 
1x *Gandalf, Leader of Men (8R15)  (start)
1x *Merry, Rohirrim Squire (7C320)  (start)
1x *Pippin, Sworn to Service (7C323)  (start)
1x *Theoden, Tall and Proud (8R92) 
1x *The Tale of the Great Ring (10U116) 
1x Help in Doubt and Need (4R124) 
2x Trust Me As You Once Did (3U35) 
1x Deep In Thought (3C30) 
2x Have Patience (4C93) 
2x Might Of Numenor (3C43) 
2x Nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom (10C112) 
1x Power According to His Stature (1R308) 
1x Roll of Thunder (4U99) 
2x Servant of the Secret Fire (1R83) 
1x *Merry's Sword (7R242) 
2x Hobbit Sword (1C299) 
2x Knight's Spear (7C108) 

The strategy is to use threats to make Merry, Pippin and Aragorn stronger. Gandalf and Faramir have more of a supporting role. Rohan companions are used as speed bumps but they can heal Faramir and be useful if you managed to get Help in Doubt and Need out. Eowyn and Merry's Sword are used as Enquea protection. I chose this version of Eomer because it has the Gandalf signet which can be useful with Trust me as you once did if one of the hobbit or Aragorn died. I have some swarm protection, healing cards and a few burden removal (but Frodo has a resistance of 10 which is OK).

[Not a Zombie]

Frodo, RH
the one ring, the answer to all riddles
Free Peoples Draw Deck

1x   7R91   • Faramir, Wizard's Pupil
2x   4R124   Help in Doubt and Need
4x   7R37   • Gandalf, Manager of Wizards
1x   10U15   • Brooding On Tomorrow
1x   1U74   • Gandalf's Pipe
1x   1U91   • Aragorn's Pipe
1x   1U292   • The Gaffer's Pipe
4x   1C305   Old Toby
2x   1C300   Longbottom Leaf
1x   7R321   • Merry, Swordthain
4x   7C229   • Éowyn, Restless Maiden
1x   7R230   • Éowyn's Sword, Dernhelm's Blade
1x   5R127   Rohirrim Helm ( AI )
1x   4U263   • Brego
1x   7R44   • Moment of Respite
1x   2R22   • Gandalf's Staff
1x   4C134   Sword of Gondor
1x   4R111   • Boromir, My Brother
1x   4R118   • Faramir's Bow
1x   2C101   • Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal
4x   1R83   Servant of the Secret Fire

Free Peoples Total   35

Pipes are back! Start faramir and merry. Keep everyone healed and burden free with pipes, use faramir to help merry stay alive if he must skirmish, otherwise faramir and eowyn are your skirmishers. Use merry plus eowyns sword and the helm to have her be a pacifist.

[Cw0rk]

Haha sweet, your deck looks fun. However you may have trouble drawing the pipes as you only have a few copies of them. I think you need more swarm protection. The Tale of the Great Ring or PATHS.

[Not a Zombie]

Yeah, probably true. Only spent about 10 min on it

[Cw0rk]

Yeah, probably true. Only spent about 10 min on it

Thanx for your participation.

[MuadDib85]

 Here's my attempt at a WP deck. Not sure if this would actually be competitive but was fun to build.

33 Cards Total

1x 4R1 •The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles
1x 10P121 •Frodo, Resolute Hobbit

Companions:
1x 1C303 •Merry, From O'er the Brandywine -Start
4x 7R37 •Gandalf, Manager of Wizards
1x 7R91 •Faramir, Wizard's Pupil -Start
3x 4C270 •Eowyn, Lady of Rohan

Events:
4x 1R83 Servant of the Secret Fire
4x 1C85 Strength of Spirit
1x 1R308 Power According to His Stature
1x 3C32 Fireworks
2x 4C93 Have Patience
1x 4U99 Roll of Thunder

Artifacts:
1x 2R22 •Gandalf's Staff
1x 3R34 •Narya

Allies:
2x 1U70 •Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor
1x 1C286 Bounder
1x 7R239 •Leowyn

Possessions:
1x 1C101 Coat of Mail
2x 1C299 Hobbit Sword
1x 4U263 •Brego

Conditions:
1x 10U116 •The Tale of the Great Ring


Strength of Spirit can be used with two of Faramir's abilties and also with Eowyn's ability. Hopefully keeping everyone resonably healthy.

Any comments or ideas are most welcome.

[hrcho]

I found the challenge challenging so I gave it a shot. Here goes:

*Frodo, RH
*The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles


1x *Faramir, WP (start)
1x *Merry, Rohirrim Squire (start)
2x *Eowyn, Lady of Rohan
2x *Gandalf. Manager of Wizards
1x *Skinbark, Fladrif
2x *Boromir, Son of Denethor

1x *Mithril-Coat
3x Hobbit sword
1x Escape
1x *A Light in His Mind
1x There and Back Again
4x Nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom
4x Everyone Knows
2x Ent Draught
1x *Brooding on Tomorrow
2x Servant of the Secret Fire
4x A Wizard is Never Late
4x Strength of Spirit

A total of 37 cards if I am not mistaken.
The main strategy is to make Hobbits (Merry in particular) a troll/balrog/sauron killing machines. Main skirmishers are Merry, Frodo and Faramir. (Frodo takes out the medium str minion, Faramir takes no wounds and Merry destroys everything in his path). It shouldn't be difficult to play Gandalf and Skinbark with A wizard is never late. Boromir is there to strengthen the hobbits, Eowyn is there because those are the rules and she can prevent unwanted wounds (especially to Merry), Skinbarks role is to be spoted for Ent Draught and prevent wounds to Merry but he can also engage in a skirmish. Everyone knows will make merry very strong, especially if he's bearing ent draught and escape (+12 str if all everyone knows are in play), adding threats during skirmish as needed and removing them with NFFATROD to add more threats. Gandalf's text can assist in skirmishes and also help lose initiative for Brooding on Tomorrow and A light in his mind. There are a lot of exertions here, thus the strength of spirit.

I am still considering Shire Countryside (in combo with NFFATROD and Answer to all Riddles).

I know it ain't the ultimate deck but it's fun having one tiny hobbit so powerful. Unfortunately, Eowyn's role is pretty small and she's there only because that was one of the conditions, but hey, I met those conditions

[Not a Zombie]

Yeah, probably true. Only spent about 10 min on it

Thanx for your participation.

It was fun, I will probably end up modding this deck some and try it out. I'll post an updated version in a new thread later. Thanks for the cool contest!

[Cw0rk]

Muadib - I think your deck can be competitive. The only thing I would suggest is having a condition removal just in case your opponent is Moria/Sauron wounding/Besiegers (maybe Sleep, Caradhras).

Hrcho: I think it would be safer (for your Everyone knows) I you changed Merry for the Pippin who prevents your tales from being discarded. Then, you could remove some Nine-Fingered Frodo and the ring of doom as you won't need threats anymore.

[hrcho]

Hrcho: I think it would be safer (for your Everyone knows) I you changed Merry for the Pippin who prevents your tales from being discarded. Then, you could remove some Nine-Fingered Frodo and the ring of doom as you won't need threats anymore.

Aye, that's a great idea, thanks. I might actually build a deck like this.

[Gil-Estel]

Clocky, you haven't challenged us to the max. He has a signet for crying out loud! Signets are so cool! So I took it to the next level . I tried to fit in the signet challenge as well. You judge me!

Frodo And Ring
*The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles (4R1)
*Frodo, Son of Drogo (1C290)

Sites

Fellowship (35)
2x *Eowyn, Lady of Rohan (4C270)
1x *Faramir, Wizard's Pupil (7R91)
3x *Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk (1R72)
1x *Merry, Friend to Sam (1R302)
2x Dear Friends (2U98)
2x Grown Suddenly Tall (4R92)
3x Mind Your Own Affairs (4U312)
2x Peace of Mind (7C46)
3x Straining Towards Us (8C114)
2x *Frodo's Pipe (3U107)
2x *Gandalf's Pipe (1U74)
1x *Glamdring (1R75)
1x *The Gaffer's Pipe (1U292)
2x Hobbit Sword (1C299)
2x Longbottom Leaf (1C300)
4x Old Toby (1C305)
2x Sword of Gondor (4C134)

Of course I play the weeds. I love them, so I can't help it. But with the signets they are again very helpful. Frodo, Gandalf, Faramir and Merry all have the frodo signet. Merry with sword is 5, exert Faramir twice he is 9 and then you can give a random companion a +9 pump, which is almost always nice, haha.
Straining towards Us can allow you move again during regroup, and if you do, Peace of Mind can also be nice, allthough it adds a lot of pool. Other cards that are helpful and fit the theme: Mind your own Affairs, and Dear Friends, which can give certain cards back.

[Cw0rk]

Nice job Gil-Estel. Adding the Frodo signet theme is quite creative. BTW, I'm not judging anything, just make decks and post them... everyone can comment.